I downloaded the app and easily requested a ride. I soon got a call from the driver, introducing himself and letting me know he was only a couple of minutes away.

When he arrived, guess what was in the backseat? Doughnuts! He let us know that he loves to make his passengers comfortable, and he was so nice that he didn’t even care when we pretty much ate them all.

To make it even better, he had a full pack of water just for bar-hoppers like us. If that’s not a 5-star ride, I don’t know what is.

— Allison Ganes

When Lyft Was My Phone’s Emergency Contact

I was traveling with a coworker in New York City. We finally got outside the airport, and taxis were abundant — but so were the people getting in them. I noticed a Lyft sticker on one car and thought we’d try it out since the line for a taxi seemed never-ending.

I downloaded the app, entered my corporate card, and requested a ride that showed up in like three minutes. We got in, rode to our destination, got out, and kept walking — until I realized I didn’t have my phone.

Panic ensued.

I anxiously rummaged through my bags only to find out that I was, in fact, one phone short. My coworker downloaded the app, I logged into my Lyft account, and together we located a “find lost item” link.

I quickly pressed it, answered a couple of questions, and submitted my request. We soon got a call from the driver saying he found my phone and was heading back. A few minutes later there he was: window down, smiling, and holding out my phone for me to grab. After I excessively thanked him for saving the day, I was pleased that I could tip the driver in the app for bringing my neglected phone back to me.

— Laura Ayala

Let Lyft Show You Around Town

I tend to stick to what I know and am hesitant to try something new. But I recently talked with someone who recommended Lyft, and when I saw that it was available while on vacation in Savannah, Georgia, I gave it a try.

Requesting the ride was super simple. The driver’s face and car were listed in the app — no mistaking a random person for your driver here! The ride was more of an experience than I expected. Our driver was a local who knew his way around, and he asked us what our plans were for the weekend. We didn’t know where to start, so our driver recommended different bars with different atmospheres depending on how we were feeling — one had a really cool rooftop bar with an incredible view of the city. He definitely wanted to make sure we had a good time.

We used Lyft again and again. Our Lyft drivers made us feel super welcome in their city. They were knowledgeable about Savannah’s history and what restaurants and bars had just opened up, and it really felt like they wanted us to have a great visit. I wished that we could’ve stayed longer to follow more of their awesome suggestions. Maybe next time, and definitely with Lyft!

— Ashley Durbin

Riding in Someone Else’s Shoes

My first Lyft ride was from a food festival in the Financial District to my apartment in Queens. I was hanging out, eating pizza by the East River and complaining to a friend about taking the subway home. He told me that if I hadn’t used Lyft and I signed up, I would get free ride credit, especially if he referred me. And if he referred me, he would get a free ride! So, I decided to do it. My driver showed up quickly in a car with bumblebee seat covers, and I was home within 20 minutes.

Since then I have taken many, many rides with Lyft. On a recent ride, my driver told me about moving to NYC from Honduras when he was 13, and all of the interesting jobs he had since finishing college. His goal is to start an education nonprofit to benefit kids, and he’s using his time as a Lyft driver to think through the logistics.

Since that first ride, one of the most interesting parts of using Lyft is the chance to get a glimpse into someone else’s life. Whether the drivers are working out the details of a nonprofit or using the family car to make some extra money, there’s usually an interesting story to be heard.

— Cathie Burns

Gracias, Lyft!

It was Fourth of July weekend in West Palm Beach, and Lyft was offering ride credit for new passengers. My brother-in-law was in town, so my husband and I decided to save some cash and try it out.

The first driver who picked us up also spoke Spanish — and, my husband is fluent. They talked for a while, and we all somehow ended up trying to teach one another words in English and Spanish. Even though it was just a 10-minute ride, it was so much fun speaking in Spanglish.

On the way home that night, our Lyft driver motioned to us that he was deaf. I was happy to find out that the Lyft driver community is so inclusive and welcoming.

From my middle-school American Sign Language classes, I could only remember “airplane” and “thank you.” Clearly, “airplane” had absolutely no use in this context, but “thank you” certainly did. Our driver appreciated that we tried to communicate with him when I thanked him for getting us home safely.

— Erika Balser

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